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Shishir's Guide to Distributed Teams
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5. Fun!

Principle: It's not all business, create opportunities for fun!

Work isn't just about work, but distributed teams can sometimes feel like they are "all business". So how can you have fun as a team without being in person?

Synchronous Fun

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When you can get folks gathered at the same time and in the same virtual place (like a Zoom call), it's a good opportunity to try some of these ideas:
Weekly show-and-tell
Book clubs
New hire "get to know me" presentations

Asynchronous Fun

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On the asynchronous side, we've developed a few fun conversation starters, like a daily "the more you know" Slack message and a weekly "icebreaker" (also over Slack). The conversations that come out of these simple prompts are both insightful and entertaining.
Think of ways to sprinkle fun throughout each medium of asynchronous communication that your team uses (docs, emails, Slack, etc.). Remember, it's important to not over-prescribe fun. Some of our favorite traditions have spontaneously emerged as we encourage and support a culture of fun. Working remotely can sometimes feel lonely, and asynchronous fun and laughter can be one of the best cures.

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